Twice in recent years Israel has been ready to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, only to be dissuaded by strong U.S. pressure. But unless there’s a regime change in Iran soon, war will come. This is no state secret. U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta reportedly told NATO ministers that he thought an attack would come within months. Inside the Pentagon Panetta has allegedly been warning officers that he thinks the Israelis will strike between June and August.

The Israelis fear Iran will soon enter what they call a “zone of immunity,” whereby the bulk of its critical nuclear assets will be buried so far underground that neither Israel nor the U.S. will be able to stop Tehran’s nuclear efforts from the air.

The Israelis have no faith that sanctions will deter Iran from its nuclear ambitions, even though its economy is indeed being hard hit by them. Fanatics that they are, the ayatollahs will see the economic crisis as an even greater incentive to develop their own bomb to help shore up their highly unpopular regime. After all, it’s worked for North Korea. Even more, these ­extremists think the bomb will make Iran a major power to reckon with, given all that oil in the Middle East.

The Iranians have been masters at using diplomatic negotiations to buy time for their nuclear program, so no one was surprised when they recently called for another round of talks. But this time the usually gullible Europeans can’t pretend that such a course would be successful.

The Israelis know they won’t be able to obliterate Iran’s nuclear effort the way they knocked out Iraq’s nuclear reactor in 1981 and Syria’s budding program in 2007. At best, they’ll set it back several years. But Jerusalem, knowing an existential threat when it sees one, feels it has no choice but to do what it must, imperfect as that may be.

What might actually trigger this conflict? A casus belli could be the assassination of an Israeli diplomat or an Iranian submarine striking a tanker in the Persian Gulf, thereby involving the U.S. as well. Or, as time passes, Israel might feel it has to initiate an attack. The Israelis know that the Obama Administration will be less likely to adamantly oppose an attack before the November elections than it would after them.

Would Iran provoke war? Some Iranian extremists believe that an Israeli strike would give Iran’s regime a surge in nationalistic popularity (but even if that happened, it would be as fleeting as the enthusiasm that greeted Argentina’s decision 30 years ago to seize the Falkland Islands from Britain).

Make no mistake, the coming conflict will have a major global impact. Even if the Iranians don’t try to close the Strait of Hormuz, the insurance rates for oil tankers are going to soar—as will the price of oil. The White House knows what this will do to our nascent economic recovery. Some ­experts speculate that oil could temporarily shoot as high as $300 a barrel.

Iran has no illusions as to what will happen if it tries to close the Persian Gulf. It tried to stop the flow of Iraqi, Kuwaiti and Saudi oil in 1987 as a way to strangle Iraq, with which it had been fighting a bloody war for almost seven years. The U.S. responded by “flagging” tankers carrying Arab oil, making it clear the U.S. Navy would defend them. When the Iranians took measures to interfere, the U.S. Navy made short shrift of Iran’s naval assets. So shaken was Ayatollah Khomeini by our countermeasures that he decided to quit the war with Iraq and leave Saddam Hussein in power. Nevertheless, you may see a repeat of the Tanker War. In the heat of battle the ayatollahs may not be able to contain themselves.

Iran will also attempt to have its agents carry out terrorist acts around the world, particularly in the U.S.

Israel will find itself embroiled in a horrific conflict. Hezbollah forces inLebanon have more than 50,000 rockets and missiles. Jerusalem learned bitterly in its 2006 attack against Hezbollah how difficult that enemy is to defeat. Unlike the conscripted armies Israel had faced in past wars, the Hezbollah fanatics fought fiercely. Today they are stronger than ever. Northern Israel—perhaps even the whole country—will be hit hard from the air. Worse, the ­Israelis estimate that in the Gaza Strip, Syria and Iran itself there are another 150,000 missiles aimed at Israel.

Ezekiel chapters 38-39 prophesy that several Arab and North African nations will rally together in the Latter Years and mount a massive military operation against the Nation of Israel. Despite the fall of the Berlin Wall and the "collapse" of communism, Ezekiel prophesies that a "hook in the jaw" will be placed in Russia's mouth and she will be dragged into this war virtually against her will. It will not be her smartest move. It will be the end of her armed forces.

As with most of Bible Prophecy, Ezekiel's prophetic language is symbolic, requiring an enlightened view of all Scripture. Therefore, we must carefully examine the prophetical books of the Bible and compare them with other Scripture. Prophetical books are not meant just for "filler" material ... they are intended to guide generations by revealing the future *before* it occurs. All of Bible prophecy will be fulfilled. The only question is when?

Generally prophecy books are arranged in chronological sequence. Occasionally, prophecy will take quick jumps backwards or forwards to make a point. In this case, the prophecies in Ezekiel 38-39 are dependent on the prophecies of Ezekiel 36-37 being already fulfilled. In other words, Russia and the Arabs cannot attack the Nation of Israel until after the Nation of Israel had been restored. In the 20th century, the Nation of Israel has been restored, just as prophesied in Ezekiel 36:24, Ezekiel 37 and Isaiah 66:8.

Although the Russian-Arab invasion of Israel is foretold in the prophecy of Ezekiel (38, 39) after Israel is restored as a nation (Ezekiel36, 37) this invasion is not the Battle of Armageddon. While the prophetic language in Ezekiel seems to describe Armageddon in many ways, there are several reasons to differentiate this invasion from the Battle of Armageddon (Prophecy Watch, 212-214). Drs. Thomas Ice and Timothy Demy quote Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum in assessing the Ezekiel invasion as a pre-tribulational event, though not necessarily pre-rapture:

First, in Ezekiel there are definite allies mentioned and they are limited in number while other nations stand in opposition. In the Campaign of Armageddon all nations are allied together against Jerusalem without exception.

Secondly, the Ezekiel invasion comes from the north, but the Armageddon invasion comes from the whole Earth.

Thirdly, the purpose of the Russian [38:6] invasion is to take spoil; the purpose of the Armageddon Campaign is to destroy all the Jews.

Fourthly, in the Ezekiel invasion there is a protest against the invasion; in the Armageddon Campaign there is no protest since all the nations are involved.

Fifthly, the Ezekiel invasion is destroyed through convulsions of nature; the Armageddon invasion is destroyed by the personal Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Sixthly, the Ezekiel invasion is destroyed on the mountains of Israel; the Armageddon Campaign is destroyed in the area between Petra and Jerusalem.

Seventh, the Russian invasion takes place while Israel is living securely in the land; but the Armageddon Campaign takes place while Israel is in flight and in hiding.(Ice and Demy,Prophecy Watch, 1998, p.213, reformatted for emphasis)

Now Israel is back as a viable nation once again. An internal meltdown in Russia and trouble occurring in many former Soviet republics like Kosovo and Chechnya are creating unstable, unpredictable situations. North Africa has no shortage of issues, from war in Sierra Leone, to the battles between Ethiopia and Eritrea, to ongoing persecution in Sudan, Algeria, Togo and Burkina Faso. Libya is busy constructing chemical and perhaps biological weaponry. And now, due primarily to AIDS, most South African teenagers have an average life expectancy of just 33 years; down from 70 years a scant 5 years ago.

The winds of war are blowing once again in the Middle East. Iran is developing and testing a Medium Range Ballistic Missile with Russian assistance. Iraq is defiant to weapons inspectors once again. Iran and her protégé Syria have purchased several Soviet fight-bomber aircraft in 1997. Syria has also purchased 1000 Kornet anti-tank weapons. Israel has not been idly watching their neighbors arming. Israel is currently accepting delivery of advanced American F-15I fighter-bombers. An anti-missile missile system is being deployed. Israel has received 3 new German Dolphin-class submarines to augment their navy. And Israel is now launching their own spy satellites. What is the outcome of all this military buildup? Here is the answer ...

Ezekiel 38:1-7 Here God directs Ezekiel to prophesy against the land of Russia. Several nations are named such as Persia (mostly Iran but includes parts of Iraq), Ethiopia and Libya:

1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,2Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, andprophesy against him,3And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:4And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:5Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:6Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.7Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.

Ezekiel 38:8-13 In these passages, reference is made to Israel being restored from the nations she was scattered to by the Roman armies under Titus Vespasian in 70 A.D. Russian armies and their allies are massed for a swift invasion of Israel, being likened to a storm cloud. A former desolate land, Israel is now blooming again, and the temptation is too much. The nations of the West apparently offer diplomatic protest only, as no military action in response to this invasion is noted:

8After many days thou shalt be visited: in the Latter Years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.9Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:11And thou shalt say,I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,12To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.13Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee,Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?

Ezekiel 38:14-23 Ezekiel is once again instructed to prophesy against Russia for her forthcoming attack upon Israel. God will use this attack to bring glory to His Name by unbelievers. Since no nation will come to Israel's defense, God will send a fiery earthquake (perhaps nuclear war?) upon the attacking armies, confusing them, causing them to fight against one another:

14Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when My people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?15And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army:16And thou shalt come up against My people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the Latter Days, and I will bring thee against My land, that the heathen may know Me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.17 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by My servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?18And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that My fury shall come up in My face.19For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;20So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the Earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the Earth, shall shake at My presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.21And I will call for a sword against him throughout all My mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother.22And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.23Thus will I magnify Myself, and sanctify Myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 39:1-8The next prophecy of Ezekiel is delivered against Russia predicting that less than 17% (1/6th) of her armies will survive the vengeance of God. Also, an unknown "fire" (volcanic earthquake or nuclear war?) shall descend upon the land of Magog and others. Israel shall worship God for delivering her:

1Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:2And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:3And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.4Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.5Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.6And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD.7So will I make My Holy Name known in the midst of My people Israel; and I will not let them pollute My Holy Name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.8Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken.

Ezekiel 39:9-16After Russia's devastating defeat, Israel cleanses their land by burning the weapons that were intended for use against her. The bodies of the attacking armies will be buried, in the place where they fell, over a seven-month period:

9And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years:10So that they shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; for they shall burn the weapons with fire: and they shall spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, saith the Lord GOD.11And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call it The Valley of Hamongog.12And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land.13Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord GOD.14And they shall sever out men of continual employment, passing through the land to bury with the passengers those that remain upon the face of the Earth, to cleanse it: after the end of seven months shall they search.15And the passengers that pass through the land, when any seeth a man's bone, then shall he set up a sign by it, till the buriers have buried it in the Valley of Hamongog.16And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the land.

Ezekiel 39:17-20Before the bodies are completely buried by Israel, predatory birds and wild animals enjoy a human buffet as they dine on the fallen warriors of the Gog-Magog war (yuck!):

17And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to My sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood.18Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the Earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan.19And ye shall eat fat till ye be full, and drink blood till ye be drunken, of My sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you.20Thus ye shall be filled at My table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 39:21-29The final outcome of this event is that God receives glory from Israel and others:

21And I will set My glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see My judgment that I have executed, and My hand that I have laid upon them.22So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.23And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against Me, therefore hid I My face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword.24According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid My face from them.25 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for My Holy Name;26After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against Me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid.27When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations;28Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there.29Neither will I hide My face any more from them: for I have poured out My Spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

Think the Cold War is over? Israel and Russia have a prophetic appointment!!!

Have you noticed the current exodus of the Jews from the former Soviet Union back to Israel?

Must see video about a shocking presentation that was briefed to NBC executives by General Barry McCaffrey in January 2012 about an impending war with Iran. Cenk Uygur, of ‘The Young Turks’, provides an eye-opening analysis of the briefing. In short, McCaffrey was promoting war with Iran using very flawed logic. McCaffrey also predicted that a war with Iran will begin within 90 days, and likely will be started by them.